Texas, the Worst in the Nation

A top government official recently told state lawmakers the state of Texas is the worst when it comes to issuing food stamps. Locally, the non profit group Children at Risk is trying to raise awareness of the problem. They say children in our state are going hungry every day. Bill Stamps has more.

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They stood outside on the steps of city hall — members of the group Children at Risk, as well as politicians. Their message is mostly aimed at politicians in Austin who they believe have made it harder for families to get food stamps in a timely manner. This is the president of Children at Risk, Bob Sanborn.

"While I'm all for having less government, when that less government means that kids that really deserve to be getting food stamps, kids that really deserve to get good programs are not able to get to those food programs and kids who are hungry are not able to be fed, then that becomes a problem for us here in the state of Texas."

Sanborn says typically families who apply and are deemed eligible are supposed to receive their food stamps within 30 days, seven days if it's an emergency. Sanborn and local politicians say that's not happening. Councilmembers Ed Gonzales and Melissa Noriega.

"Although, our city and our state has not been hit as hard as other states it does not diminish the fact there are families and children in need."

"For the future of Houston and this region and for Texas its important that we feed our children. This is not just a hand out it's a hand up because they're the leaders and the workers and the folks who are going to determine out tomorrow."

Councilmember Jolando Jones was on hand. She says she knows first hand what the people are going through. She says she herself once used food stamps when she was a child.

"I remember the first time I went with food stamps to my aunt and the same that I felt to have to buy food with food stamps, but I also understood that we wouldn't be able to eat if we didn't have them."

These leaders say Texans have already paid for the stamps through tax dollars so it's not a question of needing more money. They say the problem is because of the red tape, Texas families simply aren't getting their fair share of the stamps already allocated by the federal government.